Tuft-making machine.



PATENTED MAR. 31, 1903. W. M. PBTTIT. TUFT MAKING MACHINE.

APPLIOATION IILBD NOV. 4, 1901.

NO MODEL.

INvENToR WITNESSES UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILSON M. PETTIT, OF LOCKPORI, NEWV YORK.

TUFT-MAKING MACHINE.

EPECIFIUATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,914, dated March31, 1903.

Application filed Novemberfi 1901. Serial No. 80,971. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,W1Ls 0N M; PETT1T,-a citimen of the United States,residing at Lockport, in the county of Niagara and State of New York,have invented new and useful Improve- 1 ments in Tuft-Making Machines,of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to a machine for making tufts which are used inmattresses, upholstering, and quilting. These tufts consist of bunchesof short yarn, which are tied around i the middle.

The object of this invention is the produetion of a machine wherebytufts of this charactor may be produced economically and expeditiouslyand in which the operations of feeding the yarn in the form of a wickand the cutting thereof into short lengths are offected automaticallyand uniformly.

In the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of thetuft-making machine.

Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. 4. is a detached side view of the guide-nipple for the 3 wick ofyarn or wool from which the tufts are Fig. 5 is an end view of the same;

made.

Fig. 6 is an end view of the wick-guide and & retaining-plate. 'Fig. 7is a sectional front view of the cutters and adjacent parts.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the several figures.

A represents the horizontal table of the machine, which may be supportedupon a frame of any suitable construction.

The wick A, from which the tufts are made,

consists of numerous strands or plies of wool,

guide-nipple a is supported by a suitable.

standard rising from the table. For'convenience in tying the wick atintervals 'the'tyi-ng cord or thread is wound on a bobbin arranged in ashuttle, which permits the thread to be readily passed around the wickandtied around the same in a loop withoutrequiring the tying-thread tobe cut. In practice the loop is applied to the-wick immediately in rearof the end of the guidenipple, and in forming the loop the operator isliable to place the loop around the rear end of the nipple. In order tocause the nipple to throw off or shed the loop if the latter isaccidentally placed around the nipple, the rear end of the same istapered, as shown in Fig. 4, thereby causing the loop to slide off fromthe tapering end onto the wick upon drawing the tying-thread andcontracting the loop. After the loop has been applied to the wick theoperator draws the loop by an outwhich movement the wick must be heldagainst turning in order to prevent the same from becoming twisted. 7This is effected by thin retaining barbs, spurs, or projections q,

two of which are preferably arranged in the bore of the nipple ondiametrically opposite 1 sides thereof, as shown in Fig. 5. Theseprojectionsembed themselves in the strands of the wick and resistanytendency to turn the same, thereby preventing distorting of the wick andalso enabling the loop to be tightened efiectively. Each of theretaining-spurs has its front side made oblique or inclined from thebore of the nipple toward the inner or free end of the spur, therebypreventing the wick from becoming caught thereon as it passes throughthe nipple.

In advance of theguide-nipple and its sup- 1 porting-standard isanabutment or retainingplate I), which projects upwardly from the ta-'ble on the front side of the longitudinal path of the wick A, as shownin Figs. 1, 3, and 6.

'This plate and the adjacent nipple a support' the wick on oppositesides of the tying-loop and sustain the wick while the operator pullsoutwardly on the tying-loop for tightening the same on the wick. Theupper part of the abutment is separated from the guide-nipple just asufficient distance to permit the loop to be conveniently applied to thewick; but

'the lower part of the abutment b andthe supporting-standard of thenipple'are separated a considerable distance to form a passage B for theshuttle of the tying-th read while passing the same around the wick, p

The feed-roller'sc c are'mounted on the front ends of shafts -n n, whichare journaled For enabling the feedin'suitable bearings. wheels toobtain the necessary grip upon the wick and insure proper feeding of thesame ward and upward circular motion, during these wheels are madeeither of leather or are faced with leather. When the weight of the yarnor the thickness of the wick is varied, the space between thegripping-faces of the fced'wheels is adjusted accordingly. This isaccomplished by vertically adjusting the front hearing-block P of theupper roller-shaft in any suitable manner. Both feed-rollers are causedto turn in unison by intermeshing gear-wheels G G, applied to the rearends of the roller-shafts, as shown in Fig. 2.

The feed-rollers c c are rotated intermittently, so as to produce acorresponding forward movement of the wick, which movement may beimparted to the feed-rollers by various means. The mechanism for thatpurpose shown in the drawings consists of a ratchet-wheel H, secured tothe rear end of the lower roller-shaft n, a rocking pawl-arm L, turningloosely on the lower shaft n and having a pawl K, which is yieldinglyheld in engagement with the ratchet wheel by a spring m, acrank E,connected by a rod or bar J with the pawl-arm L, and adriving-shaft F,which carries the crank E. Motion may be transmitted to thedriving-shaft in any well-known mannerfor instance, by a drivinggear-pinion N, meshing with a gear-wheel M on the driving-shaft, asshown in Fig. 3. During the forward stroke of the pawl-arm L the rollersc are turned and feed the wick forward one length, and during thebackward stroke of said arm the feed-rollers remain at rest. For varyingthe length of the tufts the extent of the intermittent feeding movementof the rollers may be adjusted. A simple means for effecting thisadjustment consists in slotting the crank E and adjusting the belt whichconnects the rod J and crank E lengthwise in the slot of the latter.During the backward movement of the pawl-arm L the ratchet-wheel is heldagainst retrograde movement by detent-pawls p, pivoted on the adjacentpart of the table and engaging with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel.While the feed-rollers are moving the wick forward one length or spacethe blades of the cutter are separated to permit the wick to pass freelybetween the same. During the subsequent resting interval of the feedrollers and the wick the operator ties a knot or loop around the nextfollowing portion of the wick at the guide-nipple and at the same timethe blades of the cutterclose upon the advancing end of the wick andsever a finished tuft from the same.

The lower cutter-blade e is made vertically adjustable for taking upwear and also for adjusting the same relatively to the feed-rollers.This adjustment of the lower cutterblade is effected by pivoting thesame at its rear end to a suitable support or cutter-frame E by a bolt eand resting its front end on a vertically-adj ustable supporting-bar EThe latter is arranged lengthwise underneath the lower cutter and ispivoted at its rear end on the cutter-frame by a bolt 6 while its frontend rests on a vertical adjusting-screw f, ar ranged on thecutter-frame, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 7. Upon turning thescrewfin one direction or the other the supporting-bar E and the lowercutter-blade 6 may beraised or lowered for bringing the latter into therequired position. The upper cutter-blade d is pivoted at its rear endat d on the lower cutter e and is connected at its front end by a rod hwith a crank or crank-disk D, secured to the front end of the shaft F,whereby the upper cutter-blade is oscillated vertically toward and fromthe lower cutterblade. The relative movement of the feedrollers and thecutter is so timed that the wick comes to rest in the proper positionfor cutting the same midway between the tie of the foremost tuft and thetie of the next following tuft. The finished tuft cut from the wick isguided in any suitable way from the cutter into a basket or .upon thefloor. After each tuft-cutting operation the feedrollers advance theWick another length and then stop preparatory to cutting the next tuft.It will thus be seen that the actuating mechanism operates the cuttermechanism and feed mechanism alternatelyyso that the cutter is at restwhile the tuft material is being fed to the cutter and the feedmechanism is at rest while the cutter is in operation.

In order to prevent the out front end of the wick from becoming caughton the lower out ter-blade, this part of the wick is lifted above theedge of the lower blade by a guard plate or finger g. This plate isarranged with its free end between the delivery side of the feed-rollersand the lower cutter-blade and is secured at its rear end to anysuitable support.

In practice this machine is provided with means for connecting the samewith and disconnecting the same from the source of power, and means arealso provided for governing the speed of the machine; but this mechanismis not shown, as it forms no essential part of this invention.

The tuft-making machine herein described is very simple and durable inconstruction, reliable in operation, and is capable of producing acomparatively large quantity of uniform tufts.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a tuft-making machine,- the combinationof a pair of cutter-blades one of which is movable toward and from theother, a drivingshaft provided with a crank which is connected with saidmovable cutter-blade, a pair of feed-rollers for delivering the tuftmaterial to the cutter-blades, a pair of shafts supportin g saidrollers, intermeshing gear-wheels mounted on said roller-shafts, aratchet-wheel mounted on one of the roller-shafts, an oscillating armprovided with a pawl engaging with said ratchet-wheel, and a crankmounted on the driving-shaft and connected with said oscillating arm,substantially as set forth.

2. Thecombinationofacutter-frame,asupporting-bar pivoted at one end onthe cutterframe, a vertical adj usting-screw upon which the opposite endof said bar rests, a lower cutter-blade pivoted at one end on said frameand resting at its opposite end on said supportingbar and an uppercutter-blade pivoted on the lower blade, substantially as set forth.

3. In a tuft-making machine, the combination of a cutter consisting ofupper and lower cutter-blades, a pair of feed-rollers whereby the tuftmaterial is delivered to the cutter, and a guard arranged between thefeed-rollers and the lower cutter-blade and constructed to lift theadvancing end of the tuft material above the lower cutter-blade,substantially as set forth.

4. In a tuft-making machine, the combination of a cutter, a feedmechanism for deliv ering the tuft-wick to the cutter, a guide fordirecting the wick to said feed mechanism, and means arranged at thedelivery or rear end of said guide for preventing the wick from twistingin the guide upon tying a loop around the same, substantially as setforth.

5. In a tuft-making machine, the combination of a cutter, a feedmechanism for delivering the tuft material to the cutter, a tubularguide through which the tuft material passesto the feed mechanism, and aspur which is arranged in the bore ofthe guide and which enters the tuftmaterial, substantially as set forth.

6. In a tuft making machine, the combination of a cutter, a feedmechanism for delivering the tuft material to the cutter, a tubularguide through which the tuft material passes to the feed mechanism, anda spur arranged in the bore of the guide and having an oblique'frontside which prevents the tuft material from catching thereon,substantially as set forth.

7. In atuft-making machine, the combination of a cutter, a feedmechanism for deliv ering the tuft-wick to the cutter, a guide fordirecting the wick to the feed mechanism, and an abutment orretaining-plate which is arranged at the rear end of said guide on thefront side of the path of the wick and which sustains the latter againstlateral displacement upontying a loop around the same between the guideand the abutment, substantiallyas set forth. .1

8. In a tuft-making machine, the combina tion of a cutter, a feedmechanism for delivering the tuft-wick to the cutter, a tubular guidefor directing the wick to the feed mech= anism and having an externaltaper at its rear end,and an abutment or retaining-plate which I isarranged at the rear end of said guide on the front side of the path ofthe wick and which sustains the latter against lateral displacement upontying a loop around the same between the guide and the abutment,substan= tially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILSON M. PETTIT.

